HC Deb 28 October 1992 vol 212 cc725-6W
Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will amend community care proposals to allow local authorities to make direct payments to disabled people.

Mr. Yeo

There are no plans to do so.

Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations he has received from local authorities seeking power to make direct payments to disabled people.

Mr. Yeo

No such representations have recently been received.

Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what monitoring procedures have been established by her Department to check on the application of section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, by local authority social services departments.

Mr. Yeo

Prime responsibility for monitoring the implementation of the Act rests with local authorities themselves, to ensure that their policies are compatible with their legal obligations. The Department receives regular returns on certain services provided by local authorities under the Act, as well as information from other sources including the social services inspectorate. We follow up specific cases, referred to the Department, where it is alleged that a local authority is in breach of its statutory duties.